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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28782021">Reflections Under Moonlight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlight_Rhapsody/pseuds/Moonlight_Rhapsody'>Moonlight_Rhapsody</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Reality, Courting Rituals, F/M, Hashirama centric, House husband, Minor Original Character(s), Reincarnation, Second Chances, Self-Reflection</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:21:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28782021</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonlight_Rhapsody/pseuds/Moonlight_Rhapsody</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was just one of those nights when Hashirama couldn’t sleep so he did what he did best. Dream and reflect.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura/Senju Hashirama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Reflections Under Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy New Year! I’m sorry it’s taking awhile between stories. It’s a mix of the motivation tank being low and my real-life work. I am a second-line healthcare worker who does administrative support for front-liners and it’s all hands on deck. I type for almost 12hrs straight during my work day and my hands are just so tired at the end of a shift. Keep safe out there guys; this is no drill and no joke.</p>
<p>I had to take a break from all the angsty stories I have going on right now and after binge-watching all these Netflix and Disney+ wedding shows, I had to write something uplifting and touching. Hopefully, I’m able to capture the feelings and help provide a temporary escape from the gloominess a little bit.</p>
<p>Disclaimer:  Naruto is not mine. The only original character that is mine is Masaki.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reflections Under Moonlight<br/>By: Giancarla Moonlight Rhapsody</p>
<p>It was one of those nights where he just could not fall asleep and his mind was active.</p>
<p>Outside his traditional tatami mat bedroom wall, all was quiet except for the occasional bird cries and rustling of leaves. It was a serene evening in Konoha, the moon full and high with no clouds to obscure its light. </p>
<p>It was beautiful. It made him contemplative. </p>
<p>Love is love. True and real love always finds a way through any obstacles: time, space, circumstances, and even death. Nothing was stronger than love. He always believed that deep in his bones even from the start. </p>
<p>Love was the basis of the strength of his belief to overcome the hatred that consumed his clan and that of the Uchihas to build the village as it was known today. </p>
<p>Love was the means to peace that he fought long and hard for, the love for fellow villagers to unite them as family. It was his enduring legacy to the village he helped establish, the Will of Fire.   </p>
<p>He had a full life the first time and had no regrets. Though he had married out of duty at first, he and Mito had a good marriage and he had been content. It was not a love match but their relationship had been built on mutual respect and friendship which resulted in the blessings of his children and eventual grandchildren. The village was his true love and the villagers he loved as much as his own children. When he left the living realm he was satisfied with his life’s work and was confident that the village would be safe with the succeeding generations, that they would continue to build upon the foundation that was established. </p>
<p>He had been in complete shock at being re-animated not once, but twice! Both experiences were unpleasant given the circumstances—as being brought back during conflicts was not how would have wanted to be brought back—however as with every storm there were silver linings. </p>
<p>Ironically the most significant lining was not even silver, it was pink.</p>
<p>The show of brute strength and power stunned him into silence, something that had never happened to him before. He had been incredulous at the sight until the monsters approaching them shook him out of his momentary stillness. There were more pressing matters at hand at that moment and he temporarily shelved his thoughts for later however he had not forgotten. How could he?</p>
<p>His mantra had been to live life to its fullest and that was what he did. To make each day count as no one knew how many tomorrows they had remaining, and being reanimated only reinforced that for him. When his most recent reanimation was made permanent, he knew what he had to do. He resolved to get to know the pink-haired fairy fighter who smashed a crater-sized impression on him. </p>
<p>Sakura was full of surprises and contradictions. For someone blessed with such power in her fists, enough to shatter earth and mountains, she also had hands delicate enough to knit flesh and bones back together. For someone who was strong and confident when it came to her professional life, she was insecure with herself at times, blind to the validating accomplishments and accolades. For someone with a commanding presence in the face of adversity, she blended seamlessly into the background when it came time for public acknowledgement. For someone who gave her love so freely and so completely, she struggled with accepting that she deserved the same level of devotion. </p>
<p>The last quality had been a major hurdle for him to surpass when he started courting her. She just could not believe that someone like him—though in his opinion he did not deserve his larger-than-life reputation— would be interested in pursuing a relationship with her. He even had to corral his granddaughter into helping him convince her apprentice that he was serious so that he could secure a first date. </p>
<p>That was another uphill battle in it of itself with Tsunade looking at her grandfather like he had grown tree trunks off the sides of his head. Tsunade had been in an awkward position after all. He was her grandfather and Sakura was more than just her beloved apprentice. She was the daughter that Tsunade never had. After much convincing that he had nothing but sincere intentions towards Sakura and that it was not in fact incestuous, Tsunade had relented and gave him some insights into her apprentice and how best to approach her to ask for a date.</p>
<p>Said first date had been such a disaster that he thought that it would be the ONLY date. He had been so nervous—imagine a man his age!—that he became so clumsy that Sakura ended up drenched in green tea before they even got to dinner. He had been so mortified! He recalled he stammered profuse apologies and attempted to ‘run away’, for a lack of a better word, until she grabbed him by the wrist as he was trying to make a quick escape. She had sweetly smiled at him, quite amused with his horrified expression. Her smile immediately put him at ease even through his abject horror and anxiety, gentle and calming on his frayed nerves. She told him that it was not an issue, it was just a little tea—was really a cup of it but she was being generous—and suggested they stop by her apartment so that she could change prior to going to dinner. He had been gobsmacked that she still wanted to continue their date!</p>
<p>Luckily for him and his composure, the rest of the night went swimmingly. They had dinner at a new casual yakiniku place that had opened up in the village courtesy of the famed Akimichi clan. The easy-going atmosphere calmed him and they had found they had core qualities in common and had lively discussions. Sakura later confided in him that the little accident at the beginning of the night actually helped her see him in a more human way and not just the First Hokage and the God of Shinobi. He was just Hashirama. Others might have been offended by this assessment but he had been relieved.</p>
<p>At the end of that night he had to restrain himself from kissing her at her door when he escorted her home but she had surprised him yet again by placing a lingering kiss on the corner of his lips, teasing and promising at the same time. She had whispered her good night along with a request he call on her again so that they could plan another date. He could not recall much after that, so dumbstruck from her kiss that he may have waved goodbye at her but he really could not be sure.</p>
<p>The remainder of their one-year courtship was mostly smooth sailing, minus some minor disagreements, over-protective comrades, and Sakura’s temper. There were a few eyebrows that raised once they began to be open and seen out in public but no one would dare censure them. Not because of him but anyone who did would be at the receiving end of emerald glares with promises of hurt and pain, much like the Sharingan. He found a great sense of amusement and hilarity in the situation and eventually no one paid them any mind.</p>
<p>His most difficult hurdle had been helping his dearest one view herself as he saw her. Sakura had a big heart, so big that it encompassed everyone in the village but especially her precious ones. It was a double-edged sword that resulted in her heart taking many blows and bruises in her past. It took quite a while and consistent affirmations from him to show her that he envisioned their relationship as for keeps however with time, sincere actions, and….ardent affections….Sakura became confident and secure in his love and they grew together like a tree, roots and branches intertwining until their foundations were indistinguishable.</p>
<p>He found in her his balanced partner, someone who compensated for his failures and complemented his strengths. He found in her the one who took his love inside herself and returned it in equal fierceness. He found in her a confidant who listened intently and gave sound advice when he asked and rarely, when did not ask for it but he needed to hear. He found in her the perfect sparring partner who gave as good as she got, innovative in her fighting style and adapted to the needs of the situation. Most importantly, he found in her his partner for life and for the first time in his longer than normal life, he was in-love and happy. </p>
<p>A soft noise broke him out of his reverie. He was always a dreamer by nature and often became lost in them from time to time, much like tonight. His brother Tobirama notoriously loved to snap him out of them. He approached the source, careful not to make too much noise lest he woke him up even more. A soft smile breaking on his face as he softly caressed his soft cheek, his gentle touch barely making contact. It was enough to soothe him back to a deeper slumber with an almost silent whimper. Just staring down at him filled his heart to near bursting. Here was the physical embodiment of his second chance and will be the recipient of the peace he long fought for in the past and remain vigilant for in the present. </p>
<p>He could not help himself and lifted his newborn son in his arms and settled back into the moonlight to enjoy the peaceful night air. Hashirama decided that he and Masaki will just wait for his mama to come home from work and he’ll just watch his son as he cradled him.  Masaki remained asleep, seeming to instinctively know that he was safe in his father’s arms. At three months of age, sleeping was his favorite pastime along with eating voraciously. Hashirama spent many, many hours watching the baby in silence whenever he would become contemplative. </p>
<p>He and Sakura had reversed their roles as she continued to serve at the Konoha Hospital as was her passion and he enjoyed life in a way that he could not in his previous life given his responsibilities. He relished being based at home, learning essential life skills such as keeping the house and buying groceries for the family. He had become quite adept at cooking after many, many, many failed attempts and two times that he accidentally burned their kitchen down and enlisted Yamato to help him rebuild. The new veranda certainly was a great new addition to their home after the second…re-model. </p>
<p>He still kept up with his shinobi skills, he had to be ready to defend his family and his village at all times after all. His favorite sparring partner was his wife but he had a surprising number of eager volunteers such as his wife’s former teammates who seem to relish in the sessions. Ah, youthfulness! </p>
<p>He thoroughly enjoyed being a house-husband and the retirement life as he loved to tell Tsunade who was a frequent visitor to their home and she agreed that he did seem to take to domestic life like duck to water. Building a relationship with his first grandchild was also an unexpected boon. He only had brief time with Tsunade when she was a young child and it was quite refreshing to interact with her now as an adult. They even sparred and trained together when she was in the village and gave him a run for his money. He was very proud of her and all she had accomplished. </p>
<p>Not even he, Hashirama Senju, could have foreseen the twists and turns his life had taken. </p>
<p>And he would not change a thing.</p>
<p>The End.</p>
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